His Real Life Juliet
by Fierce Kitten
Summary: Mark and Courtney ar in Romeo and Juliet together.When Mark discovers his true feelings for Courtney will the play go on?Or will Mark's fear of Courtney's realization petrafy him?How can one little dork handle something greater than even all of Halla? Lov
1. Chapter 1: Loveless

FanFiction

**Declaimer: I, Fierce Kitten, do NOT own the Pendragon series. All rights belong to D.J. Mc'Hale. This is for fan purposes only. I am not making any money off of this. Written BEFORE Raven Rise. When it comes out (because it hasn't in my territory) don't kill me for the annoying "that's not what happens!". **

**His Real Life Juliet **

Chapter One: Loveless

"I love you."

"Oh! I... I don't know what to say!"

"Say yes!"

"To what?"

"I want you to marry me!Please! I beg of you! Marry me! I will promise you your hearts every desire!" 

"Oh!" Courtney threw her arms around Mark, "I love you! Yes! Of course I will marry you!"

Courtney and Mark leaned in to each other. There lips only and inch apart.

"BRAVO! BRAVA! Excellent!" cried Mrs. Antonia, "Oh, Courtney! What passion! Mark! Oh, Mark! You were perfect! I wasn't sure you could pull it off!"

Mark and Courtney pulled away from each other. Mark clutched his chest. That was a little too romantic for his competency. He sat down in a chair as Mrs. Antonia praised him and Courtney.

"Mark! You were excellent! I WAS worried, but you'll do fine! And Courtney! Courtney! Who KNEW you were an actress!"

"I'm not," Courtney said, taking out a magazine.

"Well, you should be! Oh, Mark! You make a perfect Romeo! Who would have guessed?"

"Apparently half the class," Courtney pointed out, reading her magazine.

"Well, Mark, can I talk to you for one minute?"

"Anything you can say to Mark, you can say to me!" Courtney snapped. The were both over protective of each other. Saint Dane was supposed to be trapped on Ibarra/Second Velox, but you couldn't be too careful. They didn't talk to anyone they didn't know very, very, very well alone. Even if they have known them for a long time, they were still watchful, after the Saint Dane/Andy Mitchell incident.

Mrs. Antonia fidgeted, "Well, um, Mark... you know, I'm really sorry. About your parents, I mean. It was tragic. Are you okay?"

"Hugh?" Mark asked, and then quickly added, "Oh! Yeah! Yeah, tragic. I'm getting over it. You know. It's almost like... they're still here! Haha! Silly, right?"

"Not at all! I lost MY parents when I was nineteen. I was three years older than you, now, but I still lost them. I didn't get over it for a long time. Not until I realized than they were still here, in my heart. Oh, you are so strong, Mark! And smart! You've already figured it out!"

Mark looked over at Courtney. He could tell she was resisting the urge to mock the woman. Mark's parents were not dead. They were on First Earth. The idea of leaving them behind was that they were supposed to be dead. Mr. and Mrs. Dimond proposed the idea themselves. They keep in touch through the acolyte, Dodger.

"Well, good luck in the play! Mr. Mark Romeo. Miss Courtney Juliet."

Mrs. Antonia walked off. The other students gossiped and bragged and ranted. Aby Ross, the girl playing Juliet's nurse, came running to them.

"You two were great! I wish I could be as good as you! All I say is "Miss Juliet! Your parents are coming!" How lame is that? But you are so good! And you, uh, Mark? You are so good! It's almost like you meant what you said!"

Courtney laughed. Mark didn't. A blush crossed his face. Why was that? Why did he blush every time someone suggested that idea? This was stupid. Why was he even considering it? It's totally wrong! ...Wasn't it?

"Hey, Mark! Let's walk back home together! I want to talk to you about something!"

Mark snapped back into attention. Talk about something? What? Mark was anxious. He followed Courtney. They were halfway to her house and Mark's aunt and uncle's new house when Courtney stopped walking.

"Mark," she said very seriously, "I have some news."

Mark stared at her. News? Could it be about his parents? Courtney DID have the ring. Mark gave it to her. Courtney turned to face him, but her face wasn't somber. In fact, she looked... happy.

"I got a letter from Boon!" she said, bouncing on her heals, "You know, the acolyte for Eelong! It's a letter from Spader and Gunny! They found the second flume! They're going back to their own territories!"

Mark stared at her. He was happy, but he also had a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. Why?

"And guess what!" she said, "Spader's dropping by here first! Cool, right?"

Now Mark's insides were all knotted up. Why? Why didn't he want coolio Spader to visit?

Courtney smiled. Then Mark smiled. Then he looked away from her. Why did he smile when he felt like he was about to throw up? What was wrong with him?

"Mark? Are you okay?" Courtney asked.

"Uh, no! No, I feel kinda sick. Probably just a head cold. No need to worry! I'll be fine tomorrow! Bye!"

Mark ran. He ran all the way to his Aunt and Uncle's house. He wrenched open the door and slammed it shut behind him. He startled his Aunt by running into the kitchen, and tripped over the chair.

"My word, Mark! What is the MATTER with you?! What is wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

"I- ah! I! I'm just not... it doesn't matter!" Mark knew he was red in the face. And he was snapping. That really worried Mrs. Comikala (surname: Dimond). He never snapped.

"Mark, is something bothering you? Bullies at school? Is someone threatening you? Tell me Mark."

"Ha ha! Agatha! Can't you see the signs?" asked Mr. Comikala, "The boy's in love!"

"I! I don't-!" Mark was a really dark red color by now, "I have NO idea what you talking-"

"Oh, my! He is! He is!" his uncle teased, "See, Aggie? He likes someone! Who the lucky girl?! You can trust good ol' Uncle Rex!"

"I really don't know what you are talking about!" Mark protested.

"Oh! I know! It's that girl that sometimes comes over! Isn't it?! Tell me I'm right!"

"It's not going to me HER!" Mark yelled, reaching his limit, "Gezz! Why does everyone suggest that! It's not going to happen, all right?! She's just a friend! Besides! She likes someone else! Right?! She likes Spader! Yeah! And. Even if I DID like her, which I don't, I would never stand a chance against that athletic, 'hot', Traveler! I'm just BORING, little Mark! All right?! And, I don't even LIKE her like that! So... So give me a break!"

Mark panted. He looked at the shocked expression on his aunt's face. Then his gaze drifted to his uncle's smug face. Mark dashed up to his room. He faintly heard his Aunt and Uncle's voices in the distance.

"Oh, yeah. It's love. And that pretty girl, too! Oh! Young love is so sweet!"

"He seemed really upset, Rex. You should have nudged him so hard."

"That boy needs a little nudge. Especially when it comes to females."

Mark slammed his door shut. He dove under his covers and closed his eyes. He did NOT like Courtney Chetwynde. He did NOT have a crush on Courtney. He was NOT in love with his best friend.


	2. Chapter 2: Travalers

FanFiction

Chapter Two: Travalers

Mark read his lines, sitting out for gym. Mark had quickly learned that his parents' 'death' could get him out of doing a lot. Such as when a guy asked him out: "Uh... I'm not really looking for a relationship right now. I... I'm still healing, you know?" What Mark really wanted to say was: "Buzz off! Creep-o! Geez! I'm strait!"

He read his lines over and over again. He murmured his lines under his breath.

"Juliet. My darling Juliet, why have you left me alone? So alone in this world. I wish to be with you, my Juliet. Please, God, take my soul. Pull out bottle of 'poison' and put it to your lips. Pretend to gag. Lay on the ground and act dead." Mark turned the page, "Juliet wakes up, blah, blah, blah. Not even a drop left for me, blah, blah, blah. Juliet kisses Romeo on the lips, blah, blah... what?!"

The other boys looked aver at him. He shrugged and slumped down on the bench. He read it over again. 'Juliet kisses Romeo on the lips....' He had to KISS her? KISS HER? Could he even DO that? Not that he really had a choice. It was Courtney's role. She had to choose to go through with it or not. But what happened if she did go though with it? What would that mean?

"Dimond? Are you alright?" Mr. Takahaka, the boys' gym teacher, asked.

"Yeah! Yeah, of-of course! I-! I just-! Well..." he looked troubled. He knew it. This was were a fake parental death comes in handy, "My parents. You know how it is. I'll be okay... eventually."

Mark put on a fake sad face. If Mr. Takahaka was a woman, she would be all over Mark with how sad he looked, coochy-coo-ing and there-there-ing him. But no, he was male and merely looked uncomfortable.

"Well, just... get better. Yeah. Well, class is over. Follow your classmates please."

Mark did as he was told. He ran to catch up with the other boys. The girls' gym was letting out too. Courtney was among them. She was wearing red shorts, a red tank top, and running shoes. Her brown hair was tied back in a ponytail. She looked... hot.

Mark shook himself. What was he thinking? Hot? No. He's not the kind of guy to think that way. Especially about Courtney Chetwynde. If Courtney knew he had just thought the words 'Courtney' and 'hot' in the same sentence she would be rolling over, laughing, in her grave. In her grave, because she would have died from the shock.

"Hey! Mark!" she called. He friends were still shocked they were on a first name basis. So were Mark's nonexistent friends. But if he HAD other friends from Bobby and Courtney, they would be shocked.

"H-hey, Courtney. H-how's it been?"

"Ah, fine. You're head cold better?"

"Head cold?" Mark asked, "Oh! Yeah! So much better, I forgot I had one! Ha ha!"

Courtney looked at him like she didn't believe him, but let it go. She walked up to him, he friends followed, but they didn't seem to want to be around a looser like Mark.

"So, how's the play been going? Do you know your lines yet?"

"Y-yeah. I'm trying to memories the last scene now...."

"Ah! The kiss!" Tammy, a girl who changed her hair color every three days, said. Today her hair was bright purple. Mark hated bright purple.

"Kiss?" Courtney asked.

"Oh, don't you even KNOW the play you're doing?"

"Well, I don't really give a fig about Shakespeare."

"I thought Hamlet wrote Romeo and Juliet," Mindy, a natural blonde, said.

"I thought Hamlet was a character in one of what's-his-name's plays," Sakura, an Asian-American art-freak, said.

"Matt," Tammy said, looking at Mark, "You're smart. Which is it?"

"Uh... I'm a science/math geek. Not a poetry master. And my name's 'Mark'."

"Whatever. I've got to look that up. You've put doubt in my mind! Arg!" Tammy walked off, and Sakura followed her. Mindy walked with Mark and Courtney.

"Yeah, sure. I don't know who wrote it for sure! But I do know the play! The kiss scene! So romantic! Romeo thinks Juliet's dead, so he commits suicide with poison, but Juliet's not really dead, so she wakes up, finds him dead ad is overcome by grief. She kisses Romeo for the last bit of poison on his lips. And she dies. It's so romantic! To take ones own life to be with the other! Aw!"

"It's only romantic if you take your own life to SAVE the other," Courtney snapped, looking uncomfortable and mad at the same time, "Killing yourself to be with the other... that's just stupid. And why with a kiss? Hugh? Shouldn't she, like, stab herself? It's more... I dunno! But a kiss? Really!"

Courtney looked away from Mark as she continued, "And, this is a KIDS play! They wouldn't really keep something like that in, would they?"

"We're not kids, Courtney," Mindy pointed out.

"Yeah, they still wouldn't keep it in! Right, Mark?" she sated at him. Mark flinched under her gaze and shuffled his feet.

"RIGHT Mark?" she said, "You agree with me right?"

"I would..." Mark said, "I-if I h-hadn't r-read the e-end of th-the p-pla-"

"Give me that!" Courtney snapped, snatching the script form him. Her eyes dated across the last page. Then they got really big. Mark wasn't sure it was humanly possible for them to get that big.

"Oh my..." she managed to get out.

"I-I'm sure it's optional!" Mark said, "It's n-not like we a-a-actually HAVE to k-k-k-k-kiss! We can j-just... be really c-c-close! Is all...."

"Yeah, yeah, you're right," Courtney looked like she felt much better, "Yeah, we don't have to!"

"Hum... I dunno!" Mindy said, "I read somethin' about everything having gravity. Only it's just a little bit. Not like Earth's. But if you get TOO close... SMOOCH!"

Mark blushed more than he had ever blushed before. He had heard about that gravity thing too. Courtney looked ready to kill.

"I bet blonde's not your natural color."

Mindy crossed her arms and stalked off. Courtney seemed satisfied. Mark didn't dare say anything. What was wrong with him? Why was this such a big deal? Courtney has been in plays before. She's kissed other guys on stage. The idea made Mark clenched his fist. Why? Why was he acting like this?

"We don't have to," Courtney said, "Stupid magazine article. It was probably a PlayGirl."

"Yeah, probably a... what the heck is a PlayGirl?"

"Well, I don't know! But we don't have to kiss on stage. It's wrong to force that on students! It'll start a petition! Right?"

"Yeah," Mark said.

They parted and went their separate ways. Mark headed off for science class, and Courtney jogged to Arrhythmic. Mark breathed deeply. He was not okay. He missed twelve questions on his science test. (There were ninety-seven questions (Mark was in Advanced Science) but Mark usually got a score of 100 percent plus extra credit) He was fumbling over his answers and he kept on spacing out. What was wrong with him? He was so glade when Sci-Clops started. Only to find out he was still doing it. His thoughts kept on drifting off to Courtney Chetwynde. Courtney Chetwynde's waist-length brown hair... Courtney Chetwynde's beautiful smile... Courtney Chetwynde's amazing, beautiful grey eyes... Courtney, Courtney, Courtney! How could Courtney be more interesting than a self-programmed-scarab-robot-the-size-of-an-actual-scarab? Those where TINY parts! And all Mark could think about were Courtney's stunning grey eyes! What was happening? There was just... something about Courtney Chetwynde, now. What was it? How did she do this? Why is she affecting him this way?

"Mark? Are you okay? You look ill."

Mark looked up.

"I'm fine! I'm just... tiered... is all."

"Hum... and you have that rehearsal after this. Maybe you should skip out on it."

"Yeah, yeah! I'm not feeling well enough for the rehearsals! Can... can you tell Mrs. Antonia?"

"Sure thing, Mark. Maybe you should go home."

"Yeah, I think I will."

Mark got out of his seat, swung his bag over his shoulder, and walked out of the room. He waited until he was out of ear shot and tore down the halls. He swung open the double doors. He slowed down until he was simply walking. His head cleared... until he approached the flume house... and heard Courtney's voice.

"-things on Eelong?"

Mark's heart threatened to rip out of his chest. She had such a beautiful voice. But what she said... there was only one person she could have been talking to.

"Spader! Stop laughing! It's an honest question!"

"All right! Well, after the tum-tigger, and the stuff you probably read in our letter to you guys, me and good ol' Gunny pretty much just helped the Klees and Gars some more. Then Boon found the other flume and we were outta there! Bu' I'm telling ya! That took a long time! Hobby! I thought we'd be stuck forever!"

"We did too. I was really crushed. You know, Spader, I blamed myself."

"Hobby, you don't mean that, do you? It wasn't your fault."

"I know. I'm fine now. Mark helped me through it."

Mark felt like he might go into cardiac arrest if he heard her say his name one more time.

"So, you're spiff now?"

"I wouldn't say that. I've lost some of my hotheaded, cockiness. But that's what happens. Also, I lost a lot of blood."

"Blood? Did you get hurt by the flume? Courtney, you should have said something earlier..."

"No. Not the flume. I went into depression when I found out Kasha died..."

"Kasha died?!"

"Well, yes."

"Hobby."

"So, I sent myself to a summer school temporarily. It worked too. Until I met Saint Dane...."

"Saint Dane was at your summer school?!"

"Yes, but I didn't know it at the time. He pretended to be this cute boy named Whitney Wilcox. Well, he sorta became my boyfriend... how sick is that?"

"Very." Mark hissed under his breath. He balled his fist.

"This will not end well, mate!"

"It didn't. He nearly KILLED me. He hit me with a car... oh! That's our transportation. Kind of like speeders on the ground. If Mark hadn't found me, I'd be dead."

"Hobby, that's a lot to take in...."

"You asked!" Courtney snapped.

Mark peered around the corner. Neither Courtney nor Spader where facing him. Mark was spying; he admitted it. But he just had to know what was happening.

"Yeah, I asked. You've been a lot busier than me."

"Yeah."

"I missed you, Courtney."

"I missed you too, Spader."

"Hey, uh... Courtney? I was wondering... I mean... I really... uh... What I'm trying to say is... I really like you. Will you be my girlfriend?"

It was like Mark had been splashed with a bucket of water. WHAT?! Did Spader say what he thought he said? Mark was trembling. Courtney liked Spader. She REALLY liked Spader.

Courtney took a step closer to Spader.

A tear swelled up in Mark's eye. What was wrong with him? Mark couldn't turn away. He couldn't run; he couldn't yell; and he couldn't stop the sharp pain in his chest. It was like a dagger was protruding from it just under were his breasts would be if he was a girl. He waited for it: the kiss that was bound to come.

It didn't.

"I'm sorry, Spader," Courtney said, putting a hand on his shoulder, "You're a great guy. But I'm not the girl who wants a cool, sporty, hottie. I don't need another Bobby Pendragon. I need someone who can truly... I don't know. But whatever I need, I don't think you could give to me. I just... don't feel it. You are AWSOME, Spader. But let's face it; I don't do long distance relationships."

"Hobby!" Spader said, "Never thought about that! Me thinks I should take another look at the rest of Cloral!"

"Bobby doesn't seem to mind. Bein' in LOVE with Loor."

"Loor?" Spader asked, "That kick-butt girl from Zadaa? I'm sure you're mistaken."

"Uh-uh! No mistake! And I quote: 'I have feelings for Loor'. Those were Bobby's exact words! He likes Miss Zadda Warrior!"

"Hobby! I just got dumped and Pendragon gets his second wind!"

"Well, I don't know weather this has happened in the past, or the feature... or quite frankly weather it's happened right this very second. This relative time thing is confusing."

"Tell me about it."

Mark was crying now. He leaned against the wall. He was so relieved! Why? Why was he so relived? He gave little choked laughs. His heart was pounding. Mark whipped away his tears, took a deep breath, and approached the two of them.

"Hey! Courtney! You're out of drama practice! Hey, Spader!"

"Mark!" Courtney said, enthusiastically, "Yeah! I got a notice from Spader to meet me here!"

"Hobby-Ho, Mark! Hey! I haven't seen you for who-knows-how-long! And look at you! Lookin' pretty spiff! Aye?"

Mark hadn't thought about how he looked... unlit Spader said that. It was true; Mark WAS different. He had cut his hair. He had gotten taller. He had a new layer of muscle. (New? Ok. An ACTUAL layer of muscle) And Mark's voice had gotten deeper. Three cheers for puberty! Mark had always been slow.

"You look spiff yourself," Mark said.

"Well, mate! Who-knows-how-long on Eelong will do that to you!"

Spader's hair was longer, he was defiantly more muscular, and he was taller. Spader was a girl's heart-throb. And Courtney turned him down! Mark's insides were doing a celebratory dance. Why they were, was the only thing Mark had even been in denial about.

"Well! I've got all of Stony Brook. I've got a hot outfit. And I've got two HANDSOME boys! Me thinks we'z ought to have a night on the town! Back by nine!"

Mark blushed. Handsome? Him? Courtney dragged both of them by the hand. Spader laughed. Mark's heart threatened to burst out of his chest in reaction from Courtney's touch. At first, she was very firm, and held his hand tightly. But soon, it softened, and it felt as if she was trying to tell him something through her hand. Something wonderful. It scared Mark. Mark let his hand fall out of her grip when her hold on him was at it's loosest. Loose? Did I say 'loose'? The hold Courtney had on Mark was defiantly NOT loose. She may not have been holding his and Spader's hands anymore. But Mark felt trapped. It wasn't Courtney's fault. It was his own. Why did she have such a strong hold on him?

"What's that?!" Spader asked as a blue pries sped past.

"The smallest car ever invented," Mark said.

"THAT'S a CAR! So THAT'S what Pendragon was talking about! Hobby! Those things look really different from what I saw on First earth!"

"Yup!" Courtney chirped.

"Well, mates! Now I've seen it all!"

"Not yet! We've got... drum roll please! Mark! Drum roll!"

"Da, da da, da, da da da, duuuuuun!" Mark said, trying to contain his laughter.

"MOVIES!"

--

Mark sat though the whole Beowulf movie in 3-D with Courtney sitting on his right side and Spader sitting on his left. Spader kept jumping out of his seat because things 'Kept trying to eat me!' and Mark nearly fainted when Courtney clutched his hand. No kidding. Nearly fainted. If Spader hadn't screamed in his ear at just the right moment, he would have.

Now Mark lay in his bed, pondering things. Mark was a problem solver. He solved problems. (no duh!) This one stumped him. What made his heart beat so fast when Courtney was around? What made him want to die when he thought about Courtney possibly being in love with Spader? And WHY did, no matter how many times he had a near heart attack, did he want to see Courtney. Every night, his last thought before drifting off to sleep was of her beautiful grey eyes, her gorgeous brown hair, and simply HER in general? Why? Why? WHY?

Mark closed his eyes. He wasn't sure, but he felt as if... as if this was right. As if everything would be okay if he just accepted something. As if something in him wanted to be let out. Mark thought. He ignored the fact that Courtney was his best friend. He ignored the fact that these were HIS feelings. Those thoughts only cloud ones judgment. Mark felt he could crack the case. He NEW he could crack the case. He laid down in his bed and thought. He thought. And he though. And thought.

Then, he sat bold upright. Something clicked in his brain. Something made since. And he didn't like it. From the point of view he had looked at things in, it made since. His original point of view wanted nothing to do with it. But he couldn't turn back now. He knew. Oh, he knew.

Mark Dimond, science geek who at too many carrots, was in love with Courtney Chetwynde.


	3. Chapter 3: Mistakes, Mistakes

FanFiction

Chapter Three: Mistakes, Mistakes

Mark awoke the next day. Suddenly, he felt better. He no longer awoke shaking from the strange dream of the night before. No. He understood. And with that understanding came a feeling of... what? Before he felt like he was falling into something. Really, he was falling in love. Now, he stood on firm ground. He WAS in love. Simple as that. And now, he felt solid. But it didn't make things better. He still had a problem: it was Courtney. Courtney Chetwynde, super star, sports goddess, best friend. THAT was his problem. What if he messed this up? He wanted to be with her more than anything. If that meant he was to ignore and forget his newly found feelings for her, he would do it. He KNEW he would. For her, and her alone. But the only question was... is that what she wants?

Mark rolled over.

"Girls are confusing."

"Mark-y? You awake baby?" asked his aunt through the door.

"Yeah," Mark ground.

"Oh!" she said, entering the room, "Well, how was your date last night?"

"Not a date," he said, "And fine. Sort of. Courtney seemed to handle it better than Spader."

"Spader? A friend of yours?"

"Uh..." Mark said. How could he say 'yes' and not have her try to invite him over for tea? "Not really. Uh... C-Courtney's dog."

"They let dogs in the cinema?" she asked, folding socks.

"No. Don't tell."

She laughed and left the room. Mark got dressed for the day and headed off for school. Mark looked to the sky. The clouds were dark. Mark pulled his gray hood over his head, incase of rain.

"Good day class!" the geometry teacher announced, "How are you all today?"

Mark could say 'good' wile being truthful. It was wonderful. He didn't feel alone and scared. He knew. It was in him. The truth. The hope. The golden light. The love only a friend could have for his or her friend. The purest feeling. He knew this in his heart. This was too good not to have that description. Miserable, dark, and alone feelings turned into this in one night. It was beautiful.

"Bye, Mark!" the only member under him in Sci-Clops said (he's new), "Want to walk home together?"

"Nagh!" Mark said, "I've got drama practice! Cat'cha later, though!"

Mark was on top of the world. He ran into the drama classroom. Actually, he skipped. When he saw Courtney he felt he could have kissed her. But that would have been un-cool and too fast.

"Good! Mark! Read from the top please!"

Mark jumped on the stage. He cleared his throat.

"Oh my! My, my! My wonderful... beautiful... perfect Rosealinda! How I love you! Why do you not come to me?"

"My lord," Jacob, a mousy haired boy, said with no enthusiasm, "Come. The ball. I hear the 'bad family' will be there. We must shoo them away like lab rats. Forget Rosealinda. She was a bitch."

"That is not in the script!" Mrs. Antonia chastised.

"It should be."

"No! I do not wish to go to the ball! Not with my broken heart! Oh, how it aches! It is in two! Can't you see me bleed? You do not understand!"

"So what if the slut was good in..."

"NOT! IN! THE! SCRIPT!"

"Oh, whatever!"

"I want my Roselinda! Not some cut throat ball!"

"Please. Romeo. Let's just go. C'mon."

"Fine! But I will have to kill myself or the pain will swallow me whole!"

"Don't speak like that. Let's go."

"Scene Two!" Megan, a perky girl with long, strait blonde hair, said.

"Cheer up, my good Romeo," Jacob said, dryly, "Look at all these lovely ladies."

"I do not care," Mark said dramatically, "No one is as beautiful as my Rosal-"

Mark stopped and stared as Courtney walked up on the stage. All the other girls back away toward the back of the stage. Courtney flipped her hair back.

"Who is the gorgeous creature?" Mark asked as Fanny dimmed the lights and put the spotlight on him, "Who could she be? Such beauty... surely she must be an angel descended from the heavens."

The lights went back to normal. Mark walked up to Courtney.

"My fair, Lady. Would you dace with me?"

"Me?" Courtney asked, looking shocked, "You wish to dance with me? But I do not even know your name."

"'tis Romeo. And you, my lady?"

"Juliet."

"Juliet. That's a beautiful name. To match a beautiful face, of course. If thy angel will bless thee and dance, I would be the happiest man alive."

"Oh, well. I am actually here looking for some people, but... sure. Yes, I will dance with you, Romeo."

"It sends chills up my spine when you say my name."

Courtney took Mark's hand. He spun her around and around. The lights dimmed and Megan announced "Later at the opposing palace!" Mark, Jacob and the other girls ran off the stage.

"My Lady! You have been to the other kingdom! I saw you!"

Mark watched Courtney act out her role. She was good. So good. Mark wondered if Courtney was really meant for him. She was perfect, and should be with a perfect boy.

No, Mark told himself. Courtney wasn't perfect. He had to remember that. He had to remember her faults. She was only human. He couldn't expect too much of that beautiful human being. If he did, it would be based on a faults impression of her. He loved HER, not some imaginary, perfect dream. That was the moment Mark realized the truth; love was a complex mix of give and take with no certainties. What did that mean?

This was going to be hard.

"Mark!" Courtney said when practice was over, "Hey! You were great! We're gonna rock the play! Am I right?!"

"Right," Mark said all calm and cool like. Courtney raised her eyebrows.

"You okay?"

"Yup!" Mark winked, and then re-thought that last detail, "Uh... sorry."

"For what? C'mon!" Courtney said, crossing her arms, "I was wondering when we get our costumes! I wanna see what piece of... well... I can't really say that on school grounds but... you get what I mean! I wanna see that stupid dress! It better not be pink!"

Mark laughed. Courtney basked in the glory of being funny. They walked home together and Mark wondered if that looked weird. But, then again, they've been doing it for who-remembers-how-long. Still, Mark fidgeted.

"Hey, Mark, I was wondering," Courtney said, "Do you really think it's... over?"

"Huh?" Mark asked.

"Do you think IT'S over? I'm really not too sure. It just doesn't FEEL over."

Mark stared at her. What was she talking about? Then, it clicked. She meant the war between the Territories and Saint Dane. Bobby said it was over. Saint Dane and Nevva were trapped on Ibarra. It WAS over.

But Mark had to say, he did have a feeling that had nothing to do with Courtney. It was a feeling of dread. Mark had gotten used to it, but now....

"It's over. I mean, how could Saint Dane get off Ibarra? Bobby blew up the flume."

"I know, but... I just don't... I... This just doesn't feel right!"

Mark watched her. She looked scared. He wished he knew what to say to her.

"Theoretically, if Saint Dane found a way off of Ibarra, we could always inform a Traveler through their acolyte right? And if Saint Dane could do it, so could Bobby. We'd be back in the game."

"But, what if we didn't KNOW Saint Dane got off Ibarra?" Courtney asked.

"Well... for now, let's just pray he died an early death. Alright?"

"Saint Dane can't die."

And with that somber thought, they walked home. Mark waved goodbye to Courtney and he entered his house.

"Aunt Agatha! I'm home!"

"Mark-ie!" his aunt called, rushing up to hug him, "How was school, today?"

"Fine. How were things here?"

"Oh, the usual."

"Is that right? Cleaning, cooking, watching the news and saying how cute that one reporter is?"

"Ten bucks for you not to tell your uncle."

"Deal."

"Deal."

"... Aunt Agatha?"

"Yes?"

"Please let go."

"Oh!" his aunt exclaimed, letting go of him, "I'm sorry!"

"What was that about?" Mark asked.

"Oh! I just feel... bubbly today!" Mark's aunt skipped back into the kitchen. He sat down in his designated seat.

"I've almost got dinner ready. Oh! Where is your uncle? I swear... if he doesn't get home soon..."

"Then what?" called Mark's uncle's voice.

"Rex!" Mark's aunt cried, "Where have you been?"

"I stopped at the grocery store. Here."

Uncle Rex handed Aunt Agatha a bag of potatoes. She tossed them into the refrigerator.

"Well, I've been worried. Mark, don't slouch."

Mark straitened up. Aunt Agatha placed dinner on the table and everyone began eating.

A week later, Mark sat in Biology class taking lots of notes. The teacher, Miss Floresant, turned to the class as the bell rang.

"Now, class. Before you go, we have an announcement. Tomorrow, we will be going on a school fieldtrip. The whole school is participating. We are going to the State National Park. Get your parent or guardian to sign this," she said passing out sheets of paper, "and meet at the front of the school by eleven AM. If you are late, you will not be going."

The class left for their other classes, talking excitedly. Mark saw Courtney up ahead. He resisted the urge to run up behind her and play the guess-who game.

"Hey, Courtney!" he called.

Courtney turned around. She smiled.

"Hey, Mark! How's it goin'?"

"Fine."

"Hey, did you hear? They're having a field trip!" Courtney said, enthusiastically.

"Yeah, sounds cool. You going?" Mark asked.

"If I can get my parents to let me go. I can't wait!"

"Yeah, have you memorized the play?"

"Sort of...."

Mark smiled. The play was fast approaching. They had already had a dress rehearsal. Courtney not only had to wear a dress, but it was fluffy and lacy: two things Mark knew Courtney would never pick out to wear on her own. At least it wasn't pink... for the director's sake.

"You're going to look spiff in that prince costume," Courtney said, winking at him.

Mark blushed. Courtney flinched for some unknown reason. Mark fiddled with his fingers. Courtney looked at her feet.

"So, um," she said, finally, "How's it been?"

"Fine," Mark said.

There was an awkward silence. Mark looked at the other wall. Courtney clapped him on the back and ran.

"Race ya to gym!"

The next day, after an afternoon of persuading his aunt and uncle to let him go on the field trip, Mark stood at the school entrance with the rest of the school.

"Group twenty-nine!"

Mark picked up his bag. He got on the bus with another sixteen kids and teacher. Each teacher was responsible for seventeen kids.

"Can I sit here?" Mark asked a boy who had headphones plugged into his ears, and was reading a magazine.

"Sh-sh-sure!" the boy said, not even looking up. Good. Mark thought if he looked up he wouldn't let Mark sit down.

Mark sat next to him and swung his black bag onto his lap. He pushed his glasses up his nose.

The bus started rolling and they were on their way.

"Hey," the boy said, "Who are you?"

Mark looked at the kid. He had taken the left headphone of his ear in order to hear and he looked Mark in the eyes.

"Uh, Mark Dimond."

"Never heard of ya. I'm James Mayrik. Class 4-D."

"You're a grade ahead of me."

"Sweet."

"What are you reading?" Mark asked.

"Eh, an article on anime in America and an article about how to make a sound activated flash camera thingy. It seems so simple if you've got about fifteen thousand dollars to spare."

"Oh! Uh... not fifteen THOUSAND," Mark said, shrugging.

"Oh! So you've bought a... what IS that word?" James asked.

"Uh..." Mark said looking at the word, "That DID hurt my wallet."

"Haha! I like you Mark Dimond! You're funny!" he held out his hand in a fist, "Pals?"

"Uh... sure... are you going to hit me?" Mark asked, eyeing his fist.

"You're supposed to knock knuckles with me," James said.

"Oh!" Mark said, sheepishly. He bonked his knuckles on James's which hurt, because he wasn't used to doing that.

Mark and James talked about many things on their way to the park: anime, science, books, ect. But eventually, they reached a topic Mark was not comfortable with: girls.

"Yeah, I've got a girlfriend," James said, "She's real cute. S'got wispy, short brown hair. An' sparkly, hazel eyes. She's so nice. You got a girlfriend, Mark?"

"Urm..." Mark said, "N-not r-really...."

"Not really?" James asked, "So you LIKE someone, but you're not their boyfriend? What's that about? She got a boyfriend."

"Well, she kinda has a boyfriend. But they never really went out, and he's got the hots for another girl, and she's now starting to flirt with other guys...."

"Well, I don't think their boyfriend and girlfriend if it's like that. You one of the guys she flirts with?"

"Well, no.... I'm more like... the last guy she'd ever flirt with."

"Hum..." James said, resting his chin on his hand, "Well, since you're cool..." Mark snorted. "I think that must mean she's a friend of yours!"

Mark blushed, "W-Well, um... k-kinda...."

"So she IS a friend! Yes! I got it! Aw! Same with me an' Candy. She's been my bestest friend since pre-school! I asked her out just last year. Is Mystery-Girl cute?"

"Her names Courtney. Yeah, you could say she's cute. She pretty as all-get-out."

"Hum... Oh! Hey! Lookie! We're here!"

Mark looked up. The bus was coming to a stop and the teacher stood up.

"File off the bus in single file! Remember what bus is yours! Your bus number is 7! Have fun, and don't wander into the Red Zone!"

Mark blushed at that. They had learned that the 'Red Zone' was supposed to mean... something un-decent. Last time they were out in such big groups, seven of the older boys snuck into the Red Zone. After that, they were always warned never to go there. Mark didn't think he's have the guts to try.

They were let off the bus and James ran off toward a girl getting off bus number 4. She had wispy brown hair cut into a boy-cut. She was pretty too. That must have been Candy.

Mark was half way to a bench to read a book when he was unable to see anything except darkness.

"Guess who!"

"C-Courtney?" Mark asked.

"Yup!" said Courtney Chetwynde, appearing in front of him. She looked beautiful. Her hair was tied back into a long ponytail. She wore a pink tank-top that revealed her muscular arms. Her jeans had random things written on them: math equations, quotes, upside-down pictures, ect.

"Nice outfit," Mark said, teasingly. Courtney lightly bopped him on the head.

"What's with YOUR outfit?" Courtney asked, pointing to his grey sweater, black slacks, and jean-jacket. It was an odd way to dress, but Mark didn't have much fashion since. Mark blushed, remembering he didn't put a shirt on under the sweater.

"Aw! It's okay, really!" Courtney said, "Not that bad... unlike that old yellow, 'Cool-Dude' sweater."

"Hey! I liked that sweater!" Mark protested. Courtney laughed and put him in a headlock. Mark blushed a deep scarlet.

"Aw! Do I need to take you shopping for un-social-reject clothing?"

"N-no!" Mark said, wishing she would let go.

"Fine, but next time you buy something as stupid as that... haha!" She let go. Mark huffed. Courtney stopped laughing.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" she asked, looking really worried.

"N-no! I'm fine!"

"Oh, in that case... DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT, YOU DORK!" she hit him upside the head. Mark rubbed the back of it laughing.

"So this is, like... what?" she asked, "The most boring thing I've ever done?"

"It's not that bad," Mark said, rubbing his neck.

"It's a park. Nobody goes to the park unless they're forced... like us."

Mark raised an eyebrow. She seemed to forget that they've been to the park as teenagers before. Then again, that was Bobby business.

"Hey! Check that out!" Courtney said.

They spent the next few hours running about and talking about what Bobby would be doing right them. Courtney had come up with a wild story about how he was living it up on Ibarra and how he had probably got a really cool new job and was a millionaire. Mark thought he was probably just doing rebuilding still. Courtney scoffed at this remark and insisted that he was a millionaire. They had drifted off far away from the crowd. So far that they were completely alone when it began to rain. And it REALLY rained.

"I'm soaked!" Courtney said. But she didn't seem concerted. She spun around in the mud. She was laughing her head off. Mark laughed too. He took her by the hand, and tried to hurry her over to the gazebo. He didn't want her to catch a cold. He didn't fancy one either.

"Ha ha!" Courtney laughed. Mark smiled.

They entered the gazebo. Their shoes tacked mud all over it. Courtney was all giggles. Mark took off his jacket.

"Here," he said, wrapping it around her.

Something happened in Mark's brain as he stood there, with Courtney, her wearing his jacket, and holding her at arms length. Something happened to make him do something very, very, very non-Mark.

He kissed her.

Their lips locked into a, not fierce, but passionate kiss. Actually, it was very smooth and soft. It was wonderful; it was amazing; it was the best thing Mark had ever experienced since... ever. It didn't matter if their lips were closed, or that they weren't so close he could feel her heart beat. It was beautiful and elegant. Wonderfully romantic in an odd Mark kind of way. Mark had never heard of anybody he knew kiss their girlfriend like that, but surly someone in the world had. There was only one problem with this....

Courtney WASN'T his girlfriend.

When they broke apart in the same silkily soft manner, Mark opened his eyes. He was so amazed at his own daring it took a wile before the look on Courtney's face clicked.

Her eyes showed something that Bobby described often in his journals... fear and confusion.

She backed away from him. Mark retreated into himself slightly. Courtney didn't seem to dare to speak. She looked scared... of him. Man, was that wack? Mark couldn't take it.

"I'm sor-"

But Courtney didn't let him finish. She ran passed him, slightly pushing him out of the way. Mark didn't move. He felt numb, like he made a big mistake. Truth be told... he really thought he did.

"There you are, Mark!" his teacher called as he slowly made his way back to the busses, "You and Chetwynde were the last few back! What happened?"

Mark looked at Courtney, but she didn't look back. On the contrary, she looked at anything but him.

This wasn't what Mark wanted at all.


	4. Chapter 4: Courtney Chetwynde's Court

FanFiction

Chapter Four: Courtney Chetwynde's Court

Mark lay in bed thinking over the last day of his life. Courtney Chetwynde of the bites-her-lower-lip-when-she's-thinking, stares-right-into-your-heart-with-her-deep-gray-eyes, looks-unbelievable-in-her-volleyball-uniform, and always-smells-a-little-like-roses fame... was his first kiss. Courtney Chetwynde of the Bobby Pendragon's would-be girlfriend... was his first kiss. Courtney Chetwynde of the Mark's best friend... was his first kiss.

That was something Bobby Pendragon didn't even have. Then again, Bobby Pendragon wasn't a dork who girls puked when they saw. Okay, maybe 'puked' is going too far. But girls normally don't go around kissing wallpaper.

Mark was wallpaper.

Mark knew he'd kiss a girl one day... but Courtney Chetwynde was going too far. Courtney was wonderful, beautiful, lovely....

Mark wasn't.

"What was I thinking?" he scolded himself.

"Mark-ie! What are you doing up there?! Come down for breakfast!"

Mark didn't feel like eating. But he did get up anyway. And he felt hungrier when he smelled the bacon and eggs. Ah... when in doubt, wake up and smell the bacon and eggs.

"Mark you seem tense," his aunt said shoveling eggs onto his plate.

"Sweaty too," Uncle Rex added.

"Are you alright?"

Mark looked at them, "Uh... I just got a lot of homework to do today. Yesterday was a field trip so...." This was a lie. Mark finished all his homework on the bus ride home the day he got it.

"Ya nervous? Shouldn't be. You're smar', Mark. You'll do fine!"

Mark wished he was saying this about romance. But Mark knew whet he'd say if he told him he messed up with a girl. 'Ye messed up witha gal? No surprise there, lil' man! You keep snogging yer stuffed animal!' Mark hated it when he said stuff like that.

However, Mark DIDN'T fool his aunt for a second.

"You SURE, Mark-ie?" she asked, glaring at him. Mark knew what she was doing. That's what she did when she wanted to say 'I've got a remote idea what's REALLY bothering you, but I'm not going to say anything in front of your uncle for YOUR sake'. Mark hated that look, too.

Mark wolfed down his breakfast and ran back to his room. He clicked onto and clicked on the first Pirates of the Caribbean fanfiction he could find. He soon regretted this. Not only was it romance... it was hardcore yaoi.

Wile Mark was trying to un-scar his poor, innocent mind; Courtney Chetwynde was busy trying not to punch the wall out from frustration.

Courtney recognized that the ball was in her court. Mark Dimond made his move... and Courtney wasn't sure she liked it. Actually, Courtney didn't know HOW she felt about Mark. He was more than just a friend... but love? Was that going too far? Courtney looked over at the poster on her wall. It read: love heals all.

She ripped it down.

Courtney saw only two choices: accept Mark's unspoken offer, or deny it. It was hard enough to pick weather to deny or accept. Courtney didn't even want to think about the choice of HOW to do either.

Courtney Chetwynde was known for being a formidable person. Knowing exactly what was right and what was wrong. She was Courtney. But this obstacle defeated her.

"I CAN'T!" she screamed into her pillow.

She wanted to talk to someone. An adult, who knew all about this, who could tell her what to do. But Courtney couldn't tell her parents. And she could NOT tell a teacher. That'd be weird. Who could she tell?

An idea hit Courtney so hard she gasped. It was a long shot, but he was a kind man, who gave wonderful advice. Maybe she didn't know him too well from face to face occurrences, but they knew each other well enough from word of mouth and paper.

Courtney got out a pen and paper and wrote.

"Dodger, give this to Gunny...."


	5. Chapter 5: Did I loose Love?

FanFiction

Chapter Five: Did I loose Love?

**(A/N: OMG! I am soooooooo sorry for the UBER LONG WAIT! I hate myself right now! Somehow I had it in my head that this was complete, but I didn't even finish writing it! I musta dreamed that I completed it or something.... I'll make it up to you guys by completing this as soon as I can!)**

Mark hadn't spoken to Courtney in a week. It was Saturday again, and he was on his way to his favorite restrant. He had a paper to write, and the food was great for thinking.

"Come with me," and exasperated woman said, picking up a menu. She walked to the dining room, her arms crossed. Mark followed her, laptop under his arm. Mark entered the dinning room, looked up, and stopped dead.

Courtney was sitting at a table directly ahead. She was sitting with an African American man Mark had seen once before. She was sitting with Gunny Van Dyke.

Courtney was talking a lot, making hand gestures, and looking frustrated. Gunny didn't say anything until she finished. Then he reached a hand out to hold hers, and said something to her. Courtney was near tears, and replied. Gunny said something else, smoothing out her surprisingly frizzy hair. Courtney sat in silence for a moment before nodding. Gunny's eyes flickered to Mark, and then flicked back on Mark again. Gunny looked back at Courtney and whispered something to her. She moved her head so fast it was almost comical. Almost. She looked directly at Mark and when they made eye contact it didn't matter that the waitress was snapping at him to hurry it up. Oh, Mark hurried it up alright.

In the opposite direction.

Mark ran as far away from Courtney's eyes as possible. He didn't want to know what emotion hid behind those eyes. He accidentally dropped his laptop when he began to run, but he didn't care. He built it himself, and he could build another one. He couldn't rebuild his relationship with Courtney if he forced himself on her too soon.

He couldn't do that to her.

Courtney didn't know what she had just seen.

Mark was there. They locked eyes. She saw fear behind those beautiful brown eyes. Fear of what? Fear of HER? Courtney frowned. Gunny chuckled. She snapped a look at him.

"What?" she snapped, "That wasn't funny!"

"For a minute it looked like he was avoiding you," he said with a laugh.

"For a minute? He IS avoiding me!"

"No. You are avoiding him. A person who has confessed their love does not avoid, they give their loved one time. Some use avoiding-like measures to give that."

"What? That made no since.... He broke his laptop!" she ran over and picked up the pieces of laptop that littered the floor. A tear trickled down her eye. She remembered how they had typed up Bobby's story on this very hand-made computer just before Andy (Saint Dane) stole the pages. She tossed the laptop in the trashcan and sat back down with Gunny.

"He's just so... He's always been... I don't know Gunny! I don't know! Sure I love him, but IN LOVE? Is that even possible?"

"Only you know the answer to that one, Missy."

Courtney scowled at him, "If I wanted a fortune cookie, I would have taken you to a Chinese restrant!"

Gunny chuckled. She growled at him.

"Wow! You do that well! I've learned the different growls from the klees. That was defiantly a you're-not-helping growl!"

Courtney snapped her teeth at him, playfully. He laughed, but Courtney frowned after one small smile.

"Why do I have to deal with this? It's all mixed-in with this... these FEELINGS! Yes, TWO feelings. One's really, really strong and frightening. I feel as if there's a weight on my chest that I don't know of. Like I missed something. And then, I'm constantly getting hit with another feeling that shows up every time Mark... every time he... he smiles...."

Gunny smiled at her. Then he frowned.

"I don't like what I heard about missing something. Does it have to do with the Travelers?"

"I don't know. I think. There's something that's just not right, but I can't do anything about it! And it's keeping me from analyzing what I have for Mark. Is it friendship or...?"

Gunny held her hand. He gave her a weak smile. Courtney held back tears.

"I can escape dieing by the hands of Saint Dane, but I can't tell if I love Mark? How sad is that?"

"Not that sad.... The hardest things are in our own hearts."

Courtney glared at him. The Traveler laughed and asked a pissed-off waitress for their check. Courtney buried her face in her hands. Gunny touched her shoulder.

"You'll figure it out."

Courtney didn't reply. Why was this so hard? Why couldn't she figure out her feelings for the dark haired geek?

Because it was Mark.

Any other guy would have been easy to read. She happened to know that sixteen guys in school had a crush on her. But what she hadn't seen coming was Mark's lips on her own. It was like, say, you were having a bad day and it started raining (ironic) and then suddenly some stranger shoved your favorite food in your mouth... only better and more shocking. Courtney touched her lips. The memory of Mark's lips on her own made them feel tingly. Courtney couldn't believe that she was about to admit this, but Mark's kiss was better than Bobby's. Bobby was a _great_ kisser, but Mark... his lips were gentle and innocent. Mark most likely hadn't kissed many people... okay, he most likely hadn't kissed _anybody_... so his kiss meant a lot.... Courtney thought back to all the times she'd kissed boys, and suddenly felt as if her lips were unworthy of his. Hers were tainted by kisses that meant nothing. His were full of feeling... of love....

She shook her head. This was going to be a loooooong day... week... year... how long would this go on?

About two weeks. For about two weeks, Mark stayed away from Courtney and Courtney stayed away from Mark. Finally, on a Wednesday, Mark and Courtney found themselves standing in front of each other on a stage.

"Well... practice!"

Courtney looked up at Mark, blushing. It was the dress rehearsal, and he looked _good_ in his prince's costume. His black hair was pulled back into a princely poney tail. Courtney tugged at her dress.

"I love you."

"Oh..." Courtney replied, looking at her feet, "I... I don't know what to say...."

"Say yes...."

"To what?" Courtney couldn't look him in the eye......

"I want you to marry me," oh the feeling behind those words.... "Please... I beg of y- I'm sorry!" Mark yelled, turning back to the teacher, "I'm just not feeling it today! Can we do this some other time?!"

"Absolutely not! The play's tomorrow! What's up, Mark?" the teacher asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Please...." Mark said. Courtney looked up at him.

"What's going on?" the woman asked, glaring up at them, "I liked it before, but Mark... you're doing phenomenal! Such passion in your voice, it's outstanding! Courtney... what's wrong? You sick or something? You so unenthusiastic all of a sudden!"

Because she didn't know how she felt about Mark.

Mark didn't answer the teacher, and instead walked off the stage. Courtney slowly walked off, too. She went to the dressing room and got out of the horrid dress. When she came out, Mark was gone.

But his book bag wasn't.

"Oh, Courtney!" one of the other actresses said, "Mark left his bag! Could you take it to his house? You know where he lives, right?"

Courtney nodded, taking the bag. She didn't really want to go to Mark's house, but she was the only one who knew where he lived and she knew it. So begun her long walk to the Comikala residence.

"Hello," Courtney said on the door step when Agatha opened the door, "Mark left his backpack at school."

"Oh... well thank you for bringing it over, but Mark's not home yet."

"Oh, okay. Here," Courtney handed over Mark's bag, glad he wasn't home. She still couldn't talk to him properly yet.

"You want to come in? I'm sure he'll be home any minute...."

"No. I'm good. I gotta jet."

So Courtney headed for home. What she didn't know was that it was by destiny's hand that she was too scared to stay at Mark's Aunt and Uncle's house and wait for him. If she hadn't of been... something awful would have occurred that day.

The lord of Halla works in strange ways.

Courtney was half way to her house when she spotted Mark. He was on the other side of the street, his nose in the script for their school play. She kept her head down, though it didn't matter; he wasn't paying attention. She could just make out the lines he was reading out loud:

"Juliet.... My darling Juliet, why have you left me alone? So alone in this world..... I wish to be with you, my Juliet.... Please, God... take my soul...."

Courtney looked up at him through the corner of her eye. Mark had begun to cross the street. She knew he would; it was the only way to get to his house. His nose was still in the script booklet. She turned away. Just as she was about to quicken her pace, she heard a noise. It sounded like the screech of tiers on pavement. She whipped around to see a car speeding towards Mark... who wasn't... paying... attention.

"MARK!"

Mark's head shot up, and his pupils became pin dots in the car's headlights. Courtney was running before she knew that her feet had moved. No thought came to her. Nothing appeared in her mind, except Mark. Mark and all he was. Mark and his charmingly childish smile. Mark and his adorable brown eyes. Mark and his caring nature. Mark and his gentleness.

The thought of Mark, gone, and dead. The horrific image of Mark, surrounded by his own blood on the pavement. The idea of him being ripped from her forever.

Her love for him.

Her _true_ love for him.

All of these thoughts appeared in her mind within a few seconds. Mark saw the car when he looked up, and stumbled backward out of the car's way. The jerk-face that drove the car, flipped him the bird from his window. Mark scowled and _actually_ flipped him off back. Yes, Mark gave someone _the finger_.

Courtney ran to him and, just as he turned around to face her, threw her arms around him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck and cried. Mark stood there, frozen for a second, before wrapping his arms around her and caressing her hair soothingly. She was just about to choke out the epiphany she had just a few seconds ago when he spoke.

"C'mon.... If we stay in the road, we'll get run over."

He pulled her to the curb, and walked away from her.

"Mark!" Courtney called after him. Mark turned to her, and smiled kindly.

"Thank you," he said gently, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have forced myself on you like I did that day. ...You don't have to kiss me tomorrow. Not if you don't want to."

And he walked away, leaving Courtney feeling cold. He didn't understand. He didn't understand at all. It wasn't his fault he didn't understand, and Courtney knew who's fault it was.

Had she lost her chance to find happiness?


	6. Chapter 6: Romeo, Juliet does love you

FanFiction

Chapter Six: Romeo, Juliet does love you

**(A/N: Alright, last chapter guys. It's been great writing this [if even if I forgot to do so for lord-of-Halla-knows-how-long]! Thank you for reading. REVIEW!) **

Mark walked out on the stage, clad in his princely attire, gazing out into the crowd. He wished Bobby was out there. He wished his parents were out there. He wished he hadn't ended his friendship with Courtney by stepping over the line of friendship and 'more'. He wished for a lot of things....

But wishing didn't make a difference. Bobby wasn't there. His parents were on First Earth. Courtney was avoiding him.

But she couldn't avoid him now. The lights turned on, and he had to forget about Mark Dimond. He was Romeo Montague.

"Oh my... My, my! My wonderful... beautiful... perfect Rosealinda! How I love you! Why do you not come to me?!" tears sparkled in Mark's eyes. Real tears. Why couldn't Courtney love him?

"My lord!" Jacob said. Despite his lack of enthusiasm in practice, he was actually a good actor on stage, "Come! The ball! I hear the '_bad family'_ will be there. We must shoo them away like _lab rats_! Forget Rosealinda!"

"No! I do not wish to go to the ball.... Not with my broken _heart_! Oh, how it aches.... It is in two! Can't you see me bleed? You do not understand!" He didn't understand. He didn't know that these words came from the heart. Mark's heart was in two.... Courtney broke it. The pain... it was unbearable. "I want my Roselinda...! Not some cut throat ball!"

"Please, Romeo! Let's just go! C'mon...."

"Fine! But I will have to _kill myself_ or the pain will swallow me whole!"

"Don't speak like that.... Let's go."

"Scene Two!" Megan announced from the podium at one end of the stage.

"Cheer up, my good Romeo," Jacob said, "Look at all these lovely ladies...."

"I do not care," Mark said bitterly, "_No one_ is as beautiful as my Rosal-"

Mark stopped and stared as Courtney walked up on the stage. All the other girls back away toward the back of the stage. She was beautiful. The lights hit her hair just right to make her glow like an angel. ...Or maybe he was the only one to look upon her as if she were an angel. Even though she broke his heart, Mark still loved her, and she took his breath away.

"Who is the gorgeous creature?" Mark asked as Fanny dimmed the lights and put the spotlight on him, "Who could she be? Such beauty... surely she must be an angel descended from the heavens." How ironic that these were not his own words.

The lights went back to normal and Mark walked up to Courtney, ever so slowly, so as not to make her panic right there on stage.

"My fair, Lady. Would you dace with me?"

"Me?" Courtney asked, almost sadly, "You wish to dance with me? But I do not even know your name."

"'tis Romeo. And you... my lady?"

"Juliet." Oh, how her grey eyes looked at him with... what? Sadness? Indifference? Or maybe... impossible. She made it clear that she did not feel that way about him.

"Juliet. That's a beautiful name," Mark said, smiling, "To match a beautiful face... of course. If thy angel will bless thee and dance, I would be the happiest man alive."

"Oh, well. I am actually here looking for some people, but... sure. Yes, I will dance with you, Romeo."

"It sends chills up my spine when you say my name...." This was another truth. _'Mark!' 'Mark...' 'Mark.' _

Courtney took Mark's hand. He spun her around and around in his arms. It was nice to hold her close, but it was bitter sweet. He knew she didn't want him. The lights dimmed and Megan announced "Later at the opposing palace!" Jacob and the other girls ran off the stage. Mark felt a sharp pain in his heart as he left Courtney on the stage.

"My Lady! You have been to the other kingdom! I saw you!"

"Nurse...." Courtney said, not taking her eyes off Mark's retreating form.

"They say you were with a Montague... dancing."

"Oh... yes... he was so kind...." Courtney took a breath, knowing that was to be said next was the truth that she should have realized sooner, "I think I love him...."

"Don't be ridiculous! If your father hears you....."

"Don't worry, Nurse.... I fear that I shall never see him again."

The scene changed, and Courtney was on a balcony. Or, at least, she was supposed to be. It was just a cardboard box, really.

"Romeo...." she said, "Dearest Romeo... where art thou? Romeo?"

"I am here, my love," Courtney felt her heart skip a beat when Mark appeared on stage, "What is the brilliant light I see? 'Tis the East, and Juliet is the sun...."

"Romeo!" Courtney called to him, "What took you?!"

Juliet's line was longer and more boring, but that was the jist of what was to be said. Mark blinked for a second. Great, Courtney had thrown him off by not saying the exact scrip. But he caught himself.

"I had run from the castles of Montague to find you, daughter of Capulet. I have fallen for you... be mine?" Mark looked sad saying these words. Pain shot through Courtney's chest. Her heart?

"Crap...." Courtney whispered. This was the part Juliet played hard-to-get, the last thing she wanted to be, "Dearest Romeo! But what of me? A maiden is a pure creature... it is a priceless gift to touch her hand. Do you believe you are worthy of touching my hand?"

"Maybe not," Mark said, looking like he meant it. Courtney wanted to tell him that he was wrong. That she was the unworthy one. But Mark continued his lines, "But I would give up your hand, for your lips."

Courtney blushed. She looked into Mark's eyes.

"What do we do?" she asked in a quiet voice. Mark walked up to the balcony.

"I love you."

Those words took her breath away. He meant them. She could feel the power, the love, in his voice. It made her melt.

"I... I don't know what to say...." she said, breathless.

"Say yes."

"To what?" she leaned in closer to him.

"I want you to marry me.Please, I beg of you. Marry me. I will promise you your hearts every desire...." 

"Oh...." Courtney wrapped her arms around Mark, "I love you.... Yes, Of course I will marry you...." Happy tears glittered in her eyes. She meant what she said. It felt good to say it. She hoped Mark believed her.

Courtney leaned into Mark. Their lips only and inch apart. She would kiss him... and show him she meant it....

But that wasn't the way the play was written.

"Juliet! You're parents are coming!"

And the kiss was stopped. Mark moved away from her. Courtney could barley hear him say "Marry me tomorrow. I will meat you...."

At the next scene change, Mark stood at a fake alter with Courtney.

"DO YOU, ROMEO!" and then the actor whispered "Mark... TAKE JULIET... Courtney... AS YOUR LAWFULLY WEDDED WIFE?!"

He was trying to be funny. Mark understood. But it was uncalled for. Mark shifted to his other foot and gave the boy a deadly look.

"I do...." rolled off his tongue like he had been saying those words for her for years. The boy turned to Courtney.

"And do you, Juliet, take Romeo as your lawfully wedded husband?"

"I do," Courtney said at once. Mark closed his eyes and savored the moment.

"You may kiss the bride."

Courtney looked at Mark. Mark leaned over and kissed her forehead. The audience made disapproving noises.

"KISS HER LIPS!" someone yelled. Mark ignored them.

The play went on. Mark killed Courtney's cousin, became an outlaw, and was banned forever. Courtney was forced to be Paris's fiancé, stayed loyal, and came up with a plot to stay with Mark. The play came down to the scene in the crypt....

"Juliet...." Mark said, leaning over Courtney as she lay on the ground, "My darling Juliet, why have you left me alone? So alone in this world. I wish to be with you, my Juliet. Please, God, take my soul...." Mark pulled out an empty bottle and made a motion as if he was drinking its invisible contains. He made a move as if he was chocking and fell to the ground, making sure to land right, so he didn't hurt himself. He laid on the ground, controlling his breathing so that he looked dead. He didn't move, even when Courtney opened her eyes and sat up.

Courtney looked down at Mark's motionless form, "Romeo, what had you done?" She held Mark in her arms and held up the bottle.

"Died for me.... Oh, Romeo, you stupid fool! Not even a drop left for me! I cannot go on in this world without you, my dear. Perhaps... there is death on your lips.... Take me with you... to heaven."

Courtney leaned down. Her hair tickled Mark's face, and he flinched. Courtney gazed down at his beautiful, childish form. Mark. Her Mark. She leaned in close to him.

"Mark..." she whispered, "I do love you.... Take me as your own."

It wasn't a request. It was an order. Just like Courtney. She leaned in closer and pressed her lips against his.

Mark waited for the lights to go out before allowing his eyes to flutter open. Courtney's lips... on his own.

She choose it. She choose to kiss him. And... she said "I love you". She meant it, too. She said "Mark, I do love you. Take me as your own." Mark couldn't breath.

But Courtney could.

"Mark," she said, "Don't hate me because I was an idiot. I love you. Will you be mine?"

Mark was speechless. He gazed up at her, and then...

"Yes."

Courtney grinned, leaned down, and kissed him again. They were no lost in their world, they didn't notice someone else appear on the dark stage.

"Well, I left you two alone for a while, and this is what happens...."

Courtney and Mark separated immediately and stood up. They knew that voice. They loved that voice.

Bobby Pendragon stood in front of them, smiling. It was a half smile, but a smile none the less.

"Bobby..." Mark began, unsure about his best friend's feelings about this.

"Save your breath, Mark," Bobby laughed, "I'm cool with you and Courtney dating."

Mark and Courtney looked at each other, smiled, and took each other's hand.

Bobby's smiled dropped, "But we have business to take care of. Halla is in trouble again."

**(A/N: AAAAAAAAND! The End! Hope you enjoyed it! I know, it's a cliffy, but I thought it was a good way to end it. Hope it was a satisfying read!) **


End file.
